Washington County sheriff's office warns of 'Grandparent Scam'

An old scam has found new victims in the Twin Cities metro -- including Washington County -- in recent weeks.

Authorities call it the "Grandparent Scam." Someone calls an elderly person and poses as a grandchild who tells a detailed story about being arrested. The "grandchild" says money is needed immediately for bail or legal costs and requests a wire transfer. The caller often knows personal information about the grandparent and the grandchild.

The Washington County sheriff's office issued a statement Friday warning people of the scam, which has claimed severalvictims there and elsewhere in the metro in the past 10 days. The victims have lost an average of more than $5,000 each, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff's office offered these tips for anyone who receives one of these calls:

-- Resist the pressure to act quickly; hang up the phone if you have to.

-- Call 911. Local law enforcement can help you determine if the call is legitimate.